Category Archives: Beer of the Month

The Beer of the Month for February is the Cambridge Brewing Company’s Cambridge Amber. CBC describes the beer as “well balanced, medium-bodied, with a deep amber-red color, this beer’s complex palate covers all the bases. A malty caramel sweetness is followed by notes of chocolate and a dry, slightly roasty finish, complemented by a touch of fruity, spicy hops.” The malty caramel sweetness bit fits the bill in my eyes. At 4.7% ABV this beer isn’t particularly strong, but certainly is not lacking for flavor. It could be a bit tough to find this brew outside of the Boston area, but if you get a chance to try it jump on it. Better yet, check out the brewery — it’s in Kendall Square in, well, Cambridge.

The Beer of the Month for January is High Rock Lager, above right. It is one of four beers brewed in the Bahamas and is definitely the best. It’s a tasty lager, similar both in taste and in the bottle to a Heineken. The other beers pictured above, Kalik and Sands, are both lighter pilsner style beers. While they are good, they are nothing to write home about. The fourth beer of the lot, Strongback, is a very dark, almost oily stout. It’s not bad if you like darker beers, but it seems incredibly misplaced in the Bahamas. Drinking it just feels wrong. Think about the popular Corona commercials showing a couple sitting in beach chairs looking at the Caribbean with a few Coronas resting between them. Now swap out those Coronas for a pint of Guinness. It just doesn’t work.

While these beers don’t scream “January!” that’s precisely the idea of this post. For all you fools like me stuck in the northern US, take a vacation. Take it in January while the weather sucks the most. Maybe check out the Bahamas, and if you do, order a High Rock.

The Beer of the Month for December is Pretty Things Jack D’Or “Saison Americain.” The brewers refer to this beer as “a simple table beer” — they didn’t brew it in any particular style. It’s local, as it’s brewed in Westport, Massachusetts, and was recently voted as one of 50 beers you need to try before you die by GQ magazine. It’s tough the describe the flavor — to me in tastes like a mixture of a wheat beer, a hefeweizen, and juicy fruit. At 6.5% abv it’s got some kick and comes with a crazy label. What’s not to love?

The Beer of the Month for November is Troegs Mad Elf Ale — while this beer naturally seems like in should be the Beer of the Month for December, I’ve chosen to highlight in a month in advance so that you can actually enjoy it leading up to the holidays. The beer is brewed by the Troegs Brewing company out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Thank you to a Mr. Timothy Eckert for the recommendation.

So the details: At 11% abv, this beer is strong and guaranteed to keep you warm this winter. It falls under the festive, fruity beers category (which I typically despise), but this one is pretty damn good and is in the spirit of the season (Christmas rules). The beer is dark red in color and has flavors of “cherry, honey, and chocolate malts.” That sounds about right to me. Check it out right after the spiked eggnog.

The Beer of the Month for October is Dogfish Head’s 90-minute IPA. The Dogfish Head brewery is located in Delaware, and puts out a large range of craft beers. This is one of their best. As the weather turns cold here in New England, this represents are first real move towards a heavier, more flavorful beer. Although this beer is pricey and generally sells in 4-packs, it’s sure to keep you warm at 9% alcohol. For a beer this strong, the 90-minute IPA manages to have a delicious flavor without being overpowering like so many other IPAs. Kudos to my roommate Alan, who shared one with me this past week. Check it out.

The Beer of the Month for September is Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen, a German beer. This beer most closely resembles a wheat beer — think Blue Moon or UFO’s Hefeweizen. After it’s wheat beer roots, this beer has subtle tastes of bread, banana, and cloves — it is substantial in flavor, and is a move away from the summer months’ more refreshing, lighter beers. A cool fact? This beer is produced by what claims to be the world’s longest continuously operating brewery — dating back to 1040 AD.

The Beer of the Month for August is Peroni Nastro Azzurro. Self described as a beer of Italian flair and style, it is golden-colored and strikingly crisp in flavor. What Kronenbourg is to France, Peroni is to Italy — easily the most exported beer from a country far more popular for their wine. That being said, Peroni wins on two accounts this month — it is light and refreshing yet has a distinct flavor, making it perfect for the August heat — and it’s only $3 a pop at Mike’s in Davis Square, a bar right down the road from my house.

This beer naturally goes well with Italian food — if you’re having a lighter Italian dish look here — but for a heavier dish, go with the red wine.